Law and Economics Roberto GALBIATI

Année universitaire 2014/2015
Collège universitaire
Semestre d’automne
Law and Economics
Roberto GALBIATI
Syllabus
General Contents
Prerequisites
Introductory Microeconomics
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the economic approach to the analysis
of
law. This approach confronts challenges by seeking to identify how best to design legal rules
in
order to allocate resources optimally. During the course we will try to answer questions like:
- How do laws affect the individuals’ behavior?
- How can we design optimal property and intellectual property rights ?
- How can we control criminal activity?
- Shoud we use fines or imprisonment to control criminal behaviour?
- What is the efficient amount of demages that BP should pay after the gulf oil spill ?
- Does legal system impact on economic growth ?
During classes we will present both theory and evidence on the main topics covered during the
course.
Programme des séances (contenu et objectifs pédagogiques) :
Pour chacune des 12 séances : présentation du thème général, de la(les) thématique(s), textes
de référence, lectures préparatoires, exercices) :
Séance 1 : Introduction ,
Course introduction
What is law and economics.
Séance 2 : Economics of Crime and Punishment
Séance 3 : Economics of Crime and Punishment
Séance 4 : An Economic Thoery of Property,
Séance 5 : An Economic Theory of Property
Séance 6 : Midterm Exam,
Séance 7 : Intellectual Property
Séance 8: An Economic Theory Torts
Séance 9 : Economics of Contracts
Séance 10 : Behavioral Law and Economics and Evidence on Trials
27, rue Saint-Guillaume 75007 Paris France T/ +33 (0)1 45 49 50 51 - F/ +33 (0)1 42 22 39 64
www.sciences-po.fr
Séance 11 : Legal Origins
Séance 12 : Final Exam,
Présentation des modalités d’évaluation :
There will be two class works. One at mid-term and one final. In both exams there will be a
exercises and open questions about the program covered during the course. There will be also
a take home exam after session the half of the course after session 9. The take home exam is
due no later than the final session. All the three exams will count for 1/3 of the final mark
Références bibliographiques :
Students can refer alternatively to
-D. Friedman ‘Law's Order: What Economics Has to Do with Law and Why It Matters’,
Princeton University Press (also available online)
- Cooter, Robert and Ulen Thomas. Law and Economics. Addison Wesley. 5th ed.
- Class notes
27, rue Saint-Guillaume 75007 Paris France T/ +33 (0)1 45 49 50 51 - F/ +33 (0)1 42 22 39 64
www.sciences-po.fr